Saturday, January 03, 2015
SitcomsOnline Digest: Midseason Premieres Ahead; College Football Playoffs Make Cable TV History
Welcome to the first SitcomsOnline Digest of 2015! This is the last of our "winter break" editions where news is trickling out, but we've got updates on when your favorite midseason series will return, news of some sitcom (and cartoon) star deaths, and more. Let's get going!
HIGHLIGHTS FROM SITCOMSONLINE.COM AND AROUND THE WEB
- We've hit that time of the broadcasting year known as "midseason," and Deadline has a complete rundown of when you can expect your favorite midseason series to debut or return. (Deadline)
- We rarely talk about college football here, but it is worth noting that the college football playoffs made TV history, giving ESPN the honor of having not one, but two of the most watched cable telecasts ever. (CNNMoney)
- Donna Douglas, who played Elly May on The Beverly Hillbillies, died Friday morning at the age of 81. (CNN).
- Meanwhile, Christine Cavanaugh, who was best known for the voice of Chuckie on Rugrats (but also had appearances on sitcoms including Cheers, Empty Nest, Everybody Loves Raymond, and others) died this week. (New York Times)
- Looking for what is ahead in 2015 for TV on DVD? We've got our own preview. (SitcomsOnline)
JANUARY 6 HOME MEDIA RELEASES
- The Cosby Show - Seasons 5 and 6 (DVD, $14.98): The Huxtable family returns to DVD with this re-release from Mill Creek. Season 5 and Season 6 are also available as standalone releases.
- Married... with Children - Seasons 7 and 8 (DVD, $14.98): Mill Creek gives fans another re-release of the classic Fox sitcom on DVD, presumably with the original theme song reinserted into the episodes. Season 7 and Season 8 are also available as standalone releases.
Who to Follow: Markie Post (Twitter), "Not just the girl from Night Court...actress, mother, cake decorator, late adopter"
Claim to Fame: Markie Post got her start in acting in the in 1979, and made appearances on some of the big action series of the era (including CHiPs, Hart to Hart, and Simon & Simon), but she got her first regular role in The Fall Guy, where she played a regular supporting role for three seasons. She left that series in 1985 to go on to what is probably her best known TV role, that of Christine Sullivan on the sitcom Night Court, where she stayed until the end of the series. She didn't have to wait long for her next role after Night Court, though, she she went on to star with John Ritter in the sitcom Hearts Afire for three seasons. Her work in recent years has been in TV movies, though she has appeared in sitcoms such as Scrubs and 30 Rock. Most recently, she has been appearing in the series Chicago P.D.
Pick of the Tweets: "In Chicago looking for trouble on @NBCChicagoPD . Better hide your heart, Lindsay...@SophiaBush." (December 8, 2014)
Pick of the Tweets: "In Chicago looking for trouble on @NBCChicagoPD . Better hide your heart, Lindsay...@SophiaBush." (December 8, 2014)
Sitcoms Airing Tonight / Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows
Tuesday, December 2
none scheduled
Sitcom Stars on Talk Shows (Week of December 1)
Tuesday, December 2
- Kevin Nealon (Man with a Plan/Weeds/Hiller and Diller/Champs) - Catch Kevin on Jimmy Kimmel Live! at 11:35pm on ABC.
- Reba McEntire (Happy's Place/Malibu Country/Reba) - Reba appears on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:35pm on NBC.
- Tim Robinson (The Chair Company/Detroiters) and Zach Kanin (The Chair Company) - Tim and Zach are guests on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Stavros Halkias (Tires) - Stavros appears on a repeat of Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:36am on NBC.
- Nikki DeLoach (Awkward/Misery Loves Company) - Nikki talks about the Hallmark Channel movie A Grand Ole Opry Christmas on Comedy Central's The Daily Show at 11pm.
- Christy Carlson Romano (Even Stevens) - ABC's Good Morning America has Holiday Candle Gifts with Christy sometime between 7-9am.
- George Clooney (Roseanne/The Facts of Life/ E/R (1984-1985) - George talks Jay Kelly with Michael Strahan on ABC's GMA 3: What You Need to Know at 1pm.
- Jamie Lee Curtis (The Sticky/Anything But Love/Operation Petticoat) - Jamie Lee talks about Ella McCay with the ladies of The View on ABC at 11am ET/10am CT-PT. She will also be on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am.
- Denis Leary (Going Dutch/No Good Deed/Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll/The Job) - Denis talks about Oh. What. Fun. on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Mario Lopez (Saved by the Bell/Saved by the Bell: The College Years) - Mario dishes on The Christmas Spark on Live with Kelly and Mark, so check your local listings.
- Kyle Richards (Down to Earth) - Kyle gives Sherri a sneak peek at the 15th season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Sherri, so check your local listings.
- Sebastian Maniscalco (Bookie) - Sebastian tells Drew about his hit comedy special, raising his children and wanting to host SNL on The Drew Barrymore Show, so check your local listings.
- Dave Coulier (Fuller House/Full House) - Dave is a guest on NBC's Today sometime between 7-9am and in the 9am hour.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
01/28 - Wait Till Your Father Gets Home - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
02/04 - The Wayans Bros. - The Complete Series (DVD)
03/11 - Frasier (2023) - Season Two (DVD)
04/01 - Abbott Elementary - The Complete Third Season (DVD)
05/13 - The Drew Carey Show - The Complete Series* (missing 4 episodes and some music has been replaced or altered)
06/06 - Shoresy - Season 2 (DVD)
06/17 - Looney Tunes - Collector's Vault - Volume 1 (Blu-ray)
07/22 - Bewitched - The Complete Series - 60th Anniversary Special Edition (Blu-ray)
08/26 - The Huckleberry Hound Show - The Complete Original Series (Blu-ray)
10/07 - Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage - The Complete First Season (DVD)
10/14 - Curb Your Enthusiasm - The Complete Series (Blu-ray) (DVD)
10/28 - St. Denis Medical - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/04 - Happy's Place - Season One (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - Rick and Morty - Season 8 (Blu-ray) (DVD)
11/11 - SpongeBob SquarePants - The Complete Fifteenth Season (DVD)
11/11 - Two and a Half Men - The Complete Series (Blu-ray)
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